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Arthurgifford · 06-10-2022, 04:33

Whenever I see Morris yachts posted they are usually 25 years old and almost $350k. I understand they are beautiful looking, but what makes these boats expensive as they are?? Thanks

**boatman61** · 06-10-2022, 04:39

Folks prepared to pay the price..

Rumrace · 06-10-2022, 06:49

The wood interior would likely cost 3X to build today. Not much veneer in then I think.

goboatingnow · 06-10-2022, 06:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumrace

The wood interior would likely cost 3X to build today. Not much veneer in then I think.

Indeed some people like these indeed finely crafted solid interiors. They cost a fortune to hand fit. These days it would cost 10x and even then most buyers these days want contemporary modern design aesthetics anyway

I had a beautiful 48 foot mahogany interior full of hand crafted louvred doors. Cost me around 200k , 15 years ago. (it was built in 88) The builders yard manager told me in 2018 that it would cost 1.5 million to replicate that boat with modern day craftsmen pay and lumber prices. ( mind you some of the timber is now banned anyway )

This is why when I sold it for more then I bought it , people pay knowing they simply can’t get that level of finish within any reasonable cost and as they want that finish they buy that boat.

letsgetsailing3 · 06-10-2022, 07:00

They're spendy because they're nice boats and people are willing to pay (or demand) the premium.

I came close to buying one once, but it wasn't quite big enough for my purposes.

Still, I really did like it.

Rumrace · 06-10-2022, 07:01

There you go 10X to cut down an endangered wood species. Very appealing to many folks.

letsgetsailing3 · 06-10-2022, 07:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumrace

There you go 10X to cut down an endangered wood species. Very appealing to many folks.

I don't think you're cutting down anything to buy a 25 year old boat.

Labor and materials to build any boat these days is going to be spendy.

goboatingnow · 06-10-2022, 07:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumrace

There you go 10X to cut down an endangered wood species. Very appealing to many folks.

At least buying second hand saves the trees but yes I was on a a custom boat ( mini super yacht ) with acres of restricted hardwood. A lot of prime forest was cut down alone to build that interior.

Of course the morals of the super rich are quite bizarre from the get go !!

Rumrace · 06-10-2022, 07:46

Yes quite sad. “ and skin the leopards live please”.
I know where there is millions in old logs. Black Walnut Oak. No Mahogany. A few which are extinct like birds eye maple. They are in the servern River between lock 42-43. The depth sounder goes nuts. Scuba diving it is dangerous and the province says it’s a fish habitat so it stays. The logs have been there since 1920’s. perfect condition. My office doors are reclaimed walnut laminates from Georgian Bay. A mining and logging camp. You have to make a date with the kiln and rush your log(s) to them. It’s a long haul too.
New growth mahogany walnut oak is not that good.
Plastic boats that size are hitting 1.3m here. 350 sounds like a deal for such a well made boat. My favourite Hanse is 1.3M anyway.

jamhass · 06-10-2022, 07:49

When we were looking to buy our boat (not a Morris) we hauled at the Morris yard in Maine back when Morris was still privately owned.

While waiting to relaunch I was looking at a lovely Morris there, and it looked like it had a wooden mast. Closer inspection showed it to be a faux-painted mast. It even had a large scarf part way up. I commented how good the mast looked and that the scarf just added to the realistic look to the two gentlemen also eying the boat.

Turns out the 2 were the owner of the boat and the owner of Morris Yachts. Moreover, it was the Morris Yachts owner who had personally painted the mast. When nearly done he managed to dribble some paint on an area of the mast and was preparing to strip and repaint it when the boat owner said just redo that section and came up with the scarf idea. Probably ended up with a better looking mast as a result.

That kind of attention to details (especially expensive aesthetic ones) might help explain the $$$$.

Joli · 06-10-2022, 07:58

Lumber is a renewable crop. Granted some is more expensive and grows more slowly but still, it's a crop.

Rumrace · 06-10-2022, 08:40

A black walnut tree is at least 30,000$. One worth that much won’t grow in your life time.

Rumrace · 06-10-2022, 08:46

When you get a permit to haul a couple out of the Lake you still pay stumpage to the original owner. My walnut came from Coppercliff. There are just bits of pillars and scraps of foundation. Was huge once. Georgian Bay storms and winters dried it out and blew it away. 6 Dive students hauled over 250,000 in logs milled and quit at 90 feet with no end in sight. they believe well past 200 feet so way past practical scuba retrieval.
Softwood is renewable

Rumrace · 06-10-2022, 09:16

During the Battle of Britain Canada Toronto made the first plywood night fighter and the first aircraft with radar built on. Brave devoted women of the RCAF flew them to Ireland. The fooled IBM logistics and the Luftwaffe. Great use of plywood when you’re out of metal.
Then you see plywood used in the interior of every popular brand with no edge binding and million dollar price tags. We knew better in 1940. It’s disheartening to be honest. Somewhere between a Morris and not a misuse of materials would make me happy.
I epoxied the edges that I could get at on my boat. MDF heavy weight panels held down with a Velcro cushion observed in a power boat. “Easy access and cabin configuration “ or something like that, I quit listening.